Local

Taking off the tiara to raise funds for injured troops

MISS Worcestershire will swap her tiara for her trainers when she and other beauty queens raise money to support the injured armed forces.

Preeti Sidhu, aged 23, will join other women from around the country to help row, cycle or run 7,160 miles in the Birmingham to Bastion Challenge on Thursday.

The challenge sees volunteers work together to cover the miles the helicopters travel from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to Camp Bastion to pick up injured troops and take them to Birmingham for treatment.

The Miss England beauty queens have just under 48 hours to raise £10,000 for the Fisher House foundation.

Miss Sidhu, from Birmingham, will be joined by Miss England finalists from across the country who will meet and greet people in the QE Hospital's main atrium and promote the work that the QE charity.

Rachael Barker, Miss England West Midlands regional director, said: “It is amazing to see the girls showing their support for the work the QE charity does.

"Each of the girls I spoke to said they had been personally affected by the Queen Elizabeth Birmingham Hospital in their lives, either by themselves or family and friends that that have been treated.

"As well as this, they are eager to support our British troops who show the bravery and courageousness we could only begin to imagine.

“Having helped out at the Birmingham to Bastion challenge last year as Miss Birmingham 2013/14 I know the girls will be in for such a treat, every mile helps towards their goal and shows the distance the helicopters have to travel to pick up our injured troops.”

Justine Davy, head of fundraising for the QEHB Charity, said she was amazed with the support of the girls and looked forward to showing the success of the Birmingham to Bastion challenge once more.

For more information, visit qehb.org/birmingham-bastion-back-military-troops.